Here is some information regarding the tuber –Sun Choke in this weeks box. The Sun Choke/Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), also called the sunroot or sunchoke or earth apple or topinambur, is a species of sunflower native to the eastern United States, from Maine west to North Dakota, and south to northern Florida and Texas.[1] It is also cultivated widely across the temperate world for its tuber, which is used as a root vegetable.[2]

It is a herbaceousperennial plant growing to 1.5–3 m tall. The leaves are opposite on the lower part of the stem, alternate higher up; the larger leaves on the lower stem are broad ovoid-acute and can be up to 30 cm long, the higher leaves smaller and narrower; they have a rough, hairy texture. The flowers are yellow, produced in flowerheads 5–10 cm diameter, with 10–20 ray florets, and are thought to smell like milk chocolate. The tubers are gnarly and uneven, typically 7.5–10 cm long and 3–5 cm thick, and vaguely resembling ginger root, with a crisp texture when raw; they vary in color from pale brown to white, red or purple.

Mix sugar, butter, spices, vanilla and cheese together thoroughly using electric mixer. Then add eggs and blend. Than condensed sweetened milk or cajeta and cream. If you are using cajeta and cream, first warm the cajeta up by setting jar in warm water bath. Once the cajeta is pourable mix the cream into the cajeta than add to the cream cheese mix. Add the remaining ingredients and blend.

Melt butter in a skillet. Then warm up pecans in skillet. Add graham crackers in skillet to slightly toast. Remove mixture from pan and press into 9 inch spring form pan.

Pour cream cheese cake mix into pan. Bake for 350 for approximately 1 hour. At approximately ½ check cake to see if the top is turning brown and the sides are pulling away. If the cake is doing this, shake the cake slightly to see if the center is thickening up. If the cake is thick the top is brown and the side are pulling away the cake is done. I find this cheese cake is better if it is made at least 1 day ahead of time.

To improve appearance use apricot jelly to glaze the top and sprinkle toasted sliced almond. The cake will look amazing.

Food for Thought

“Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.”Edward Sandford Martin

He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart.J.A. Shedd

He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart.J.A. Shedd

Farm Happenings

As winter becomes more evident, milk production slows down. Half the does are now on maternity leave. They are expected to deliver around February 15, 2009. We are continuing to make cheese from the remaining milking herd. Because the volume of milk is dropping we are only making Chevre, Gouda, Cheddar and Feta.

Mozzarella will be available next year. We will probably have a few wheels of Manzano Blue Moon and Prarie Cloud Reserve left for this year.

Please come visit us at the Santa Fe Farmers Market December 20 through the 21st this year. Sunda, Monday and Tuesday we will be there from 11am till 6pm. We will have cheese, goat milk lotions and soaps beautifully packaged for Gift giving.

Here are some suggestions of how to prepare the harvest from this weeks box.

Wondering what to do with Your Blue / Purple Potatoes. These potatoes are rich with antioxidants.

Ingredients

1.Dice Potatoes Thinly

2.Chop 1 medium sized onion

3.Mince 2 garlic cloves

4.Fry 4 slices of bacon

5.or use Olive Oil

Method

In a warm skillet use your left over bacon grease or try olive oil. Carmalize onions and garlic in oil. The onion should turn slightly brown and soft. Than add your blue potatoes and a dash of salt and pepper. Cookuntil they become soft.This makes a nice addition for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

1 Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and thyme and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes. Decrease heat stir until onions are carmalized, about 20 minutes. Remove and place in medium bowel.

2 Melting remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in same pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sautee until soft. Add Cognac or apple cider, broth, wine, herb sprigs and bring to a boil reducing liquid. When onions are very tender remove from heat. Remove herb springs, salt and pepper and serve.

3 You may want to toast a baguette with some Ghee or your favorite butter and grated Old Windmill Dairy “Prarie Cloud Reserve” cheese.

Under farmers blog you may find your weekly newsletter and recipes. Also if you would like to renew your csa or see what other goodies we offer please check out our online store. http://www.theoldwindmilldairy.com

Halloween is less than two weeks away. Pumpkins are everywhere this time of year. If you are looking for something to do, check out the Happy Pumpkin patch just South of Estancia or McCalls in Moriarty. At McCalls there is a corn field maze to wonder through. I believe they also offering hay rides.

In this weeks Gourmet CSA box we have:

New Mexico Tea Company Tea or

Fat Boy Coffee

Vine Ripened Tomatoes

Schwebach Farm Pumpkin

Schwebach Farm Onions

Dukes Raspberry Bar-b-Que Sauce

New Mexico Potatoes

2 Old Windmill Dairy cheeses

Fresh Package of Pasta from Pasta Divina

Here are some suggestions of how to prepare the harvest from this weeks box.

3 Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan.

4 With the soup on low heat, add brown sugar and mix. Slowly add milk while stirring to incorporate. Add cream. Adjust seasonings to taste. If a little too spicy, add more cream to cool it down. You might want to add a teaspoon of salt.

Serve in individual bowls. Sprinkle the top of each with toasted Pinon Seeds.

Serves 8.

*To make pumpkin purée, cut a sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a tin-foil lined baking pan. Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don’t use for future use.

Under farmers blog you may find your weekly newsletter and recipes. Also if you would like to renew your csa or see what other goodies we offer please check out our online store. http://www.theoldwindmilldairy.com

Food for Thought

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I often ponder this weeks quote as we tread into new territory in our lives. We truly hope you enjoy this weeks recipe.

Weather Report from the Farm.
Yesterday it was 28 degrees Farenheit. Today it is snowing and sleeting. Farmer Michael and Sylvia are in the kitchen curding chevre, packaging feta and preparing to send several cheeses to local stores and restaurants.

Breeding Season and Milk Production
You maybe wondering when the goats stop producing milk. Generally we stop milking in the fall to give the girls, nubian does, a rest. They need the extra calories to produce healthy offspring. They are bread late Summer or Early Fall. We will put them on maternity leave November 15, 2008. They are about 1 month pregnant now and are expected to deliver February 15, 2009. We like to give them the last 3 of their 5 month gestation period off as this is when the kids will put on weight and the does will need the additional calories to stay warm.

Combine goat cheese, olives, parsely, cilantro, toasted pinon nuts (pine nuts) and pepper in a small bowl with a fork.

Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up each breast and place one-fourth of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.

Lightly beat egg white with a fork in a medium bowl. Place dried potatoe flakes, dash black pepper and salt in a shallow glass dish. Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in the egg white, then dredge in the potatoe flakes. (Discard leftovers).

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F, about 20 minutes.